Retirement Benefits - Expense (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Automotive [Member] | BELGIUM | Non-U.S. Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Amortization Categories [Abstract]
Defined benefit plan, settlement loss	$ 104,000,000
U.S. Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost	117,000,000	94,000,000	234,000,000	188,000,000
Interest cost	594,000,000	631,000,000	1,188,000,000	1,262,000,000
Expected return on assets	(757,000,000)	(791,000,000)	(1,514,000,000)	(1,582,000,000)
Defined Benefit Plan Amortization Categories [Abstract]
Prior service costs/(credits)	85,000,000	93,000,000	171,000,000	186,000,000
(Gains)/Losses and Other	46,000,000	2,000,000	92,000,000	4,000,000
Separation programs	2,000,000		3,000,000	3,000,000
(Gain)/Loss from curtailment and settlements
Net expense/(income)	87,000,000	29,000,000	174,000,000	61,000,000
Non-U.S. Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost	84,000,000	82,000,000	164,000,000	167,000,000
Interest cost	314,000,000	314,000,000	617,000,000	639,000,000
Expected return on assets	(358,000,000)	(336,000,000)	(706,000,000)	(683,000,000)
Defined Benefit Plan Amortization Categories [Abstract]
Prior service costs/(credits)	18,000,000	18,000,000	36,000,000	37,000,000
(Gains)/Losses and Other	86,000,000	62,000,000	169,000,000	127,000,000
Separation programs	39,000,000	6,000,000	44,000,000	10,000,000
(Gain)/Loss from curtailment and settlements	104,000,000		104,000,000
Net expense/(income)	287,000,000	146,000,000	428,000,000	297,000,000
Worldwide OPEB [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost	16,000,000	14,000,000	31,000,000	28,000,000
Interest cost	83,000,000	85,000,000	165,000,000	169,000,000
Expected return on assets
Defined Benefit Plan Amortization Categories [Abstract]
Prior service costs/(credits)	(151,000,000)	(156,000,000)	(303,000,000)	(310,000,000)
(Gains)/Losses and Other	28,000,000	25,000,000	57,000,000	49,000,000
Separation programs	1,000,000		1,000,000
(Gain)/Loss from curtailment and settlements
Net expense/(income)	(23,000,000)	(32,000,000)	(49,000,000)	(64,000,000)
Plan Contributions [Abstract]
Total contribution to funded pension plans			800,000,000
Total contribution to unfunded pension plans			200,000,000
Expected contribution to worldwide pension plans			400,000,000
Expected contribution to unfunded pension plans			200,000,000
Actual and expected contribution to funded and unfunded worldwide pension plans, total for the year	$ 1,600,000,000		$ 1,600,000,000